Reborn
by Kitten4
Summary: Another story of "What if" following FIN2


Title: Reborn

Time Line: Post Fin

Rating: PG-13 - Some nasty language

Arthur: Kitten a.k.a. Cat

Summary: Another view of "What could follow FIN2"

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Xena Warrior Princess or Hercules the Legendary Journeys. I do however own this story line.

Her eyes stared out into the night straining to locate the whimper that had awoken her moments before. Years of battles, hunting and being hunted had sharpened her skills. Tuning out the wind softly rustling the autumn leaves, the babbling of the small brook a few hundreds yards away, the call of the owl perched above in the tree to her right and the crackle of her small fire, she was able to locate the source of her disturbance. She now raised from her hunched form to standing upright. Quickly and quietly she made her way to the source of the noise. Carefully pushing the foliage away she discovered a small babe. Gently she picked up the child and brought her to her chest. The infant immediately calmed and quieted. Turning the child to meet her gaze, the warrior was met with a set of eyes she thought she would never see again. The infant smiled as she reached for the blond locks that fell forward. The warrior found her voice "By the gods" her voice barely above a whisper.  


"Actually by one God my dear" a dark voice interrupted her.  


The warrior swung around protectively holding the baby to her with one arm as she unsheathed her sword with the other. She had seen her fallen friend do this exact same move before and knew she could do it too "Ares" she spit "What in tarturus do you want?"  


"I came to see if my princess had arrived" he began as casually walked toward Gabrielle "you see my dear bard I have done what you could not" he paused as he reached to touch the baby in her arms "I brought her back to the living."  


As his hand neared the baby Gabrielle again turned this time ramming her sword into his stomach "Back off Ares I have no time for your sick games. This child will not be your tool to destroy the world" she warned with her sword still lodged in him.  


"Spare me Blondie" he began as he stepped back releasing her sword "I have no intention of taking her and using her, she will stay with you until she is grown." He again neared the child but this time pushed the bard's sword away with a flick of his wrist "Put the toys down before someone gets hurt" he whispered as he reached for the baby, the warning was not missed by Gabrielle as she released the baby to him.  


"Ares please" she begged as she tried to take back the baby "Is she really Xena?"  


Ares held the child up and met her small gaze. The little girl balled her fist and hit him square in the jaw "What do you think?" he said as he began to laugh at Gabrielle. He now directed his attention to the baby again "Now Xena I know this is not exactly what you wanted, but this is the best I could come up with." Xena now began to cry and kick. Ares handed her back to Gabrielle "Try to teach her not to through tempers, it might get her further in this life." 

He was about to disappear when Gabrielle reached out and touched his arm "Wait" she said almost sounding more like a demand then a request.  


He stopped and turned back to her "What Blondie you finally have what you have always wanted" he paused as he again looked into the steel blue eyes of the dark haired baby "A chance to raise her the way you thought she should be, without my interference."  


"No tell me how this happened, what am I to do with her now" she paused as fear began to creep into her face "Ares I need you" she stated herself in almost as much shock as that registering on his face "I can't raise her by myself."  


Ares stood there staring at the bard in disbelief for what seemed hours but was mere minutes "she asked for my help with Xena, that is a first. I should explain the whole thing to her" he thought to himself. Clearing his throat he motioned to her to sit near the fire "Keep her warm she will catch a death of a cold." Ares waved his hand over the baby and she was instantly dressed in a rich blue dress & booties "Brings out her eyes, and I always liked her in softer things than leather and armor . As to what happened, she called me."  
  
flash back two months prior...........................................  
  
  
Ares is sitting on his throne disappointed with the world. He had felt her life force end and his heart had broken instantly. He had retreated to this his most secret temple and stayed hidden while he dealt with this newest feeling, mourning. His hand again came up to his face while he tried to hide the tears that he could no longer stop. "WHY DIDN"T YOU COME TO ME?" he yelled to the emptiness around him. Rising from his throne he walked to the alter. He had redone this alter in memory of the one creature that truly held his heart. A bust of his princess sat in the middle of the alter. Gently he caressed the cold marble cheek and a chill ran through him "My dear I would do anything to bring you back" he again crumpled to his knees before the alter tears racking his immortal soul "Damnit if this is what love is, I can't deal with it" he whispered to the cold marble before him "I love you Xena and will forever remember and honor your way and life." His grief was interrupted by the presence of another in the room. Anger raced through the God now as he stood and turned to face the intruder "I SAID I DID NOT WANT TO BE DISTURBED" he began as he held a fire ball in his right palm. The fire slowly diminished as it began to register to him who the being was who stood before him "Xena" he said in a shaky voice as he found his legs moving him toward her. Just as he reached out for her his hand passed through her "Looking down at his hand in devastation he realized what it meant "You have returned in spirit form" he began "I don't care you are here and even if I can't hold you I can see you and talk to you."  


The whispery form before him smiled as her eyebrow raised "Really Ares all this for little old me" she said as she gestured to the alter, paintings and statues of her around the room "Don't ya think you are being a little dramatic in your obsession."   


Ares didn't have a look of humor on his face, in fact he turned from her "If you came here to make fun of me" he paused trying to control the emotion in his voice "just leave, leave me alone."  


Xena could see his shoulders shaking as he tried to hold his emotions at bay "Ares, I am sorry" she began "I didn't come here to fight, I was pulled here by you."  


He turned, emotions in check "What are you talking about I pulled you here?"  


"Simply that I was with Gabrielle traveling back from Japa and then I was here staring at your back" she paused as she stared into his eyes searching. Her breath caught as she finally saw what she had searched for her whole life "You truly love me, that is what pulled me here."  


"What are you babbling about?" he asked. Curiosity growing within him.  


"It would take a great deal of true emotion to pull me from her and you know it, your love is greater." Xena now laughed as she slapped her thigh "It did take me dying to finally believe you, By the Gods this has to be the greatest joke in history." She sat down crossed legged on the floor and gave into her hearty laughter.  


Clearly disturbed by the light way she was taking this "Do you mind I don't see how you being dead is funny, I personally am not amused" he paused as he watched the spirit try to gather herself "Have you forgotten the connection we have, think what your unexpected death has done to me yet again."  


Xena was now standing with her head bent staring at the marble flooring "Is that why you are here, our getaway?" she asked her voice now soft and submissive.  


Confused by her soft tone and the weakness that came from it "What happened to your spark?" his voice concerned.  


"What do you mean?" she questioned.  


"Your anger, your drive" he paused as he realized what had happened "it's gone you are almost at peace and have come full circle." His head again dropped as he realized he would never see the spirited woman he loved again, instead he would have this almost transparent copy of her. He walked to his throne again and sat down heavily.  


Xena stood there staring at him and started to feel an emotion building in her again. Something she had let go of sometime ago. As the emotion built her form began to take shape, becoming more clear and real. She stormed over to the slouching God of War and slapped him soundly across the face. A look of shock covered her expression as well as his. She pulled her hand back and looked at it. It looked and felt real. She felt his skin as she made contact.  


Ares reached up and grasped her hand in his. Staring down for the first time he noticed how tiny her hands really were. It were as though he was looking at them for the first time and didn't see them as killing machines, but as a woman's gentle hands. Bringing his eyes back to hers he asked in a cracked whisper "You got mad." A smile began to spread across his face as he now realized there was a chance. He swung Xena up in his arms and twirled her around. As he slowed and set her down again he felt no resistance and gambled on it. He bent and his lips claimed hers. He broke the embrace and held her back from him. She still wore the same leathers that she had for years, her hair long and dark and her eyes steel blue. He loved this woman. "Ask me what happened, asked me what changed" he demanded with a youthful excitement in his voice, his dark eyes alight with a fire.  


Again looking to her hands she asked "Ok Ares what happened, I mean one minute I am nothing more than a wisp of air and now I can touch you, but I still don't feel alive?"  


Lifting her chin he again looked into the eyes that had haunted him for years "Your not alive, but you have regained part of your spirit and that means there a chance."  


"What are you talking about?" she questioned further.  


A light smile lit his face "Simple darling Xena I bring out that spark in you that the bard would like to douse, you are not whole with out both parts whether you want to admit it or not. You see princess I didn't totally corrupt you, you came to me willing searching out your dark side."  


"So it is true I can never get away from it and as long as I am near you it will grow." Her face fell as she said this "I have denied anything between us because I honestly believed you would turn me just by being near you and now you have backed that theory up."

Shaking his head "No my princess I am not the cause of your dark side and being with me isn't going to turn you into a monster" he paused as he smiled for the first time in months "You are a mortal soul and that is the challenge for mortals, to decide their own fate between good and bad. You have always had a choice."

Xena looked into his eyes. Seeing his feelings for her scared her slightly as she backed away. She shook her head to rid the thoughts of him, of her, of them "Ares this is too much, I have to get back to Gabrielle." Just as quick as her form became solid, it again began to fade to its former appearance. She looked down at her hands "I have no desire to search out that part of me anymore" she whispered as she let herself begin to be pulled back to her bard.

Ares stepped forward and reached for her, his hand passing through hers again "Wait, hear me out for once" he pleaded to her fading form.

Xena paused considering his request "What could it hurt?" she asked herself "Maybe I should hear him out for once." She cleared her throat "A candle mark" she answered "that is what I give you" her blue eyes again lost that fire that made his heart melt.

"A candle mark" he replied "I can deal with that" he smiled slyly "Oh what I can do in an hour" his eyes once again filled with desire for her.

Xena stomped his foot and smiled as her anger again made her solid "You are wasting time" she answered in a smart ass tone.

He smiled to himself, happy he again could touch her again as he ignored her attempt to squash his foot. He took her by the hand and led her to a small couch near the fireplace. With a thought flames filled the once void fireplace and he sat back comfortably as he prepared to make his case with her.

Xena was a bit nervous sitting in such close proximity to him, but did not let on "So what do you have to say" she began in an impatient tone "You have already told me that my darkness seems to awaken near you and I do not want anything more to do with that part of me" she paused as she broke her gaze from him "I just want to rest Ares."

He sat there and watched her, his heart breaking at the sight of his fallen champion "I realize you want to come to peace, but do you really know what that means?" he asked in all sincerity. 

She sighed "Gods sometimes dealing with him was like dealing with a small child" she thought before she answered "It means I can rest, I can see my family" she paused as an unchecked tear fell "I can be at peace with myself." She had to make him understand she needed to finish this out and go on to her rest. Why was she still stuck here?

Ares shook his head at her in frustration "Sometimes she is so childlike in her thinking" he thought to himself "Yes you are right to an extent" he paused looking at her defeated form "but have you thought about why you are still hanging around?" He noted how she seemed uncomfortable suddenly, like he had hit a nerve.

"Why are you doing this?" she came back at him "Why do you really care?" not waiting for his answer she continued "You say you love me and granted I can see it in your eyes, but if you love me so much why not let go and let me rest." She had begun to think it was a bad idea to stay and talk, she had to get back to Gabrielle.

"QUIT WORRYING ABOUT THE DAMN BARD SHE IS A BIG GIRL" he suddenly shouted as he stood and began to pace.

"You read me thoughts" stammered Xena suddenly feeling betrayed by the personal invasion.

"No, I don't have to, your thoughts are screaming through my mind" he stopped pacing and now stared into the flames of the roaring fire "You want to run, you want to rest" he began again as he turned to her "But you my dear have too much unfinished business to pass over" he walked toward her and knelt before her. Taking her by the shoulders "Have you given much thought to what will be awaiting you there" he was being quite serous, his emotions at bay for the moment as he talked to her as he would a child "What type of a judgment do you think you would receive from Hades's widow upon your arrival?" He let go of her shoulders and returned to his position before the fire staring into the licking flames as it consumed the wood. He had spent so much time looking for the answer after he had felt her death and now, that he had the answer, it would be in vain if she didn't agree to do it.

She was quiet as she contemplated his words. She knew he heard her thoughts and there would be no secrets this night passed between them. It was an uneasy feeling, yet liberating to set the games aside and be totally open. She had never really reached that point with Gabrielle or really anyone and was unsure how to proceed with the conversation. She stood up and walked to him. Standing behind him she placed her hand on his shoulder "What do you want me to do?" she asked in a soft tone.

He turned to face her, his face still wearing a mask of stone "The question my dear is what do you want to do?" he took her hand "Return to finish your work or face the wrath of my Aunt for all eternity" he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently "Choose wisely my dear for I fear this will be your last chance."

What seemed to be an eternity of time passed, but in reality it was mere moments she answered "I don't want to leave, but I had a debt to pay in Japa" she began but was stopped by his fingers to her lips.

"Xena your debt it paid" he began "Let yourself live for once for you and for those who love you" he took back his hand and stepped back "Say the word and I will grant you a gift of another chance, a new beginning."

Xena shook her head in disbelief "Ares how can you bring me back?"

Ares laughed slightly at this "You doubt my capabilities my dear" he laughed again "And here all this time I thought you held me in your highest esteem." She began to interrupt him again and he raised his hand to stop her "You want your life, then it is done" in his hand formed a swirling purple ball of light. He extended his arm to her "All you have to do is trust me" he said as he offered the ball to her.

She snorted a laugh at the last "This should prove to be interesting" she said as she reached out to the light and grasped it, never truly considering the possible out come of trusting him. Immediately she felt a rush of power run over her. She felt the connections with him and Gabrielle fade as a pounding began filling her head "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE" she screamed as she fell to the floor with her hands over her ears. A final burst of light gave way filling the room. Ares sheltered his eyes from the light. When the light faded he looked down to where she had fallen and there a small babe of maybe three months lay "Oh shit" he muttered as he reached down and picked her up. Her blue eyes stared at him as she let out a cry "Honestly I didn't think it would happen this way" he began as he tried to comfort her "I thought you would come back as you were." 

His head dropped as he thought of the scroll he had read in Athena's rooms "Return to your first form" he muttered as he paced with the screaming baby "I never really read things through the way I should." He looked down to her angry face "Well what do I do with you now?" he asked the still very upset child. His eyes lit up as a thought occurred "The bard" he whispered "She will know what to do with you for now" The baby seemed to quiet at this comment, but he could still see she was upset with him "Now Xena if I had thought this would happen there is no way I would of gone through with it" she began to cry again and squirm in his arms "Ok Ok I will take to the bard" in a flash they were gone.

Fade back to the campsite…………………………

"And that is how she came to be in the state she is" he finished as he looked at bard "I really didn't mean to have it this way, I would of preferred to have her in a more adult state" he added with a smirk as he looked to the baby in her arms.

Gabrielle was at a loss for words as she too looked down upon the now sleeping baby in her arms "I thought she had passed over when she left my side two months ago" she whispered more to herself than him. Breaking the thought she turned to him "Ares where should I take her, what should I do with her" she asked with tears filling her eyes as she contemplated the immensity of the situation "I really don't know that much about babies" she finally disclosed.

Ares was slightly annoyed at her. He gives her back the one thing that they both love and she is freaking out "Gabrielle get a fucking grip" he started "Would you rather that I raise her" he began "Cause I will take that opportunity in a heartbeat and make her a Goddess to rule with me" he noted the reaction from his outburst and smiled inwardly at accomplishing what he wanted.  


"Over my dead body will you turn her into a monster again" started Gabrielle "I will take her to my Amazons and raise her with honor and love" her voice softened as she looked down at Xena again "I will give her the life she truly deserved, a chance" she finished still staring at her.

Ares cleared his throat "Well good she deserves that and it is what I promised her" he started as he again stood "I will bid you farewell for now bard" he paused "but be prepared for I will be around from time to time to check up on her."

He was about to vanish "Wait" Gabrielle called.

He snorted in anger as he turned to her again "What now" he demanded, his patience wearing thin.

"Just that, will she remember any of this life" the bard asked.

"Oh yes I imagine she will" he answered "and call me if you need anything" he added "For her" and vanished in a display of blue shards.

Gabrielle looked down upon her best friend and smiled "I will give you all I can" she whispered as she lay the baby down on her bed roll and began packing up the camp "We should get to the Amazons as soon as possible, so how about right now" she talked to the sleeping baby "Still the strong and silent one" she said with a laugh "Well we should be there in a couple days." A thought occurred to her as she loaded the up the last of her belongings and Xena on her horse "Oh shit how do I explain this one to Eve?"

TBC

  



End file.
